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The Permit as the Operational Cornerstone
On August 12, 2026, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore granted Keppel Kruger Holdings Pte. Ltd. — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Ltd. — a Facilities-Based Operator (FBO) license. This document is not just an administrative act; it’s the operational cornerstone that enables the entire Kruger cable system. Without it, the connection between Singapore and Salalah in Oman would remain only a technical design.
The license allows Keppel to own, operate, and maintain fixed infrastructure in Singapore, including landing terminals. The entry point is located in Tuas, on the west coast of the island, in the same beach manhole already used by the Bifrost cable — developed by Keppel with Meta and Telin. This choice reduces installation costs and accelerates integration with the existing network.
The Node as a Physical System
The Kruger infrastructure is designed to span four nations: Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India before reaching Salalah in Oman. The total route covers approximately 7,000 km, with an estimated initial capacity of 16 terabits per second (Tbps), sufficient to support critical data flows for financial services, telecommunications, and strategic cloud computing.
The main node is located in Tuas. The existing beach manhole has the capability to handle up to six submarine cables simultaneously. The shared use of the entry point means that each new installation must comply with strict technical constraints: physical space, electromagnetic isolation, protection from interference. Each new cable requires a compatibility test before activation.
Who Pays for the Cost of Change?
The financing of the Kruger Cable System is currently being evaluated with institutional investors. Keppel has announced that the final decision on the investment will be made by the end of 2026, through a private infrastructure fund. The current commitment is estimated at approximately $1.3 billion USD.
The main cost falls on Keppel and its financial partners. However, the direct benefit goes to network operators operating between South Asia and the Middle East: the reduction in latency from 130 ms (via traditional cable) to approximately 20 ms for direct flows. This advantage is measurable in terms of operational efficiency for financial platforms and cloud services that require sub-millisecond response times.
The Trajectory of Digital Power
Approval from the IMDA marks a strategic turning point. This is not just about charting a new course, but creating a physical alternative to the control of digital flows by powers that dominate traditional Pacific routes.
The structural limitation is technological and regulatory: each state along the route must authorize the cable’s entry. Bangladesh has already issued a draft license, while India requires further national security assessments. The operational impact will be measurable within the first quarter of 2027: if the actual capacity exceeds 16 Tbps and the average repair time for underwater faults remains below 45 days, the infrastructure will become a strategic asset.
“Keppel has received Singapore regulatory authorization for its proposed Kruger Cable System, a step toward a westbound link between Singapore and the Middle East.” — Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly, August 12, 2026
Photo by Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash
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